For the Dancing and the Dreaming
by Kitty.M.Smith
Summary: After her beloved's death, Valka returns to Berk with Hiccup and Astrid. With returning comes memories of her and Stoick that bring and aching heart, and a disgruntled past that resurfaces upon her return, bringing bitter memories and conflict that effects not only her, but all of Berk.
1. A Motherly Interrogation

**This is my first HTTYD fanfiction. My knowledge primarily comes from the movies and the HTTYD wiki. I have not read the books but I plan to try soon. **

**I'm just saying this because I really don't want flames. ^^; Either way, all my knowledge is from the movies and wiki and maybe some other miscellaneous source. This story is gonna be really about Valka and her past, as well as Stoick and her's relationship, and then her relationship with Astrid and Hiccup and them. Please give constructive criticism. =p**

**HTTYD2-Dreamworks**

**Story: Mine. I don't want it used in any way, shape, or form.**

**EDIT: Fixed the issues with Astrid's dragon and edited Christmas to Snoggletog. **

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On a colder night than usual the vikings of Berk all rested in their homes.

In the Chief's Dwelling was both Valka and Astrid. The hearth of the fire glowed warmly in the house, keeping them both warm enough to shed their fur jackets. They sat more or less across from each other at the pit fire. Astrid was sitting in a chair made of animal skin stretched across a frame and laden with bear fur. Valka was sitting on the floor, leaning against Cloudjumper's back leg, his tail wrapped around her almost like a blanket of which she rested her arms on, holding a crude mug filled with grog.

They managed to rid the village of most the ice caused by the Alpha dragon in the last few weeks. Some still remained, but it was no longer bothersome. They figured it might melt some in the summer months, or at least be more easily terminated. Valka had spent her time mostly with Hiccup, learning of his goofy nature and wandering mind. It fascinated her how much he was like her without ever meeting her, but at the same time he was far more like his father than he'd previously conceived himself to be. She shook her head at the pang in her heart when she thought of her husband and turned her attention, discreetly, to Astrid. She didn't know much on the girl. She was bold and pretty, and was very much a leader from what she'd witnessed of her directing the ice-removal crews. Otherwise she was a mystery. A mystery that was supposedly marrying her Hiccup.

Valka sipped from the grog and lightly rubbed a spot just around the tip of Cloudjumper's tail. He twirled his neck at her and chirped. She smiled at petted his muzzle. Cloudjumper adjusted himself so he was curled around Valka as a whole, his head resting in front of her, as if to say, "don't stop now". Valka complied and continued petting her companion and looked to Astrid, who was staring at the fire.

"So, where's Hiccup?" She asked in her soft voice. Astrid jumped, seemingly from a trance, and looked at her.

"Oh, um, he's out flying on Toothless. Trying out some crazy new invention-something to do with being able to flap his wings like a dragon."

Valka nodded and chuckled. "Seems he does a lot of crazy things..."

Astrid smiled a bit, looking back to the fire. "Mhm."

Valka cocked her head at the girl's dazed sort of smile. She could recall her mother accusing her of having the same look when courting with Stoick. "I haven't had the chance to ask ye; how did you and Hiccup meet?"

Astrid blinked, looking surprised again, and then stretched her arms and back, an orchestra of cracking noises emerging. "Oh, um, well, we've kinda always known each other, I guess. I mean, he's the chief's son."

Valka nodded.

"But, um, I guess we really met-met when he started dragon training with me."

"You mean where you learned to fight dragons?" Apprehension creeped into Valka's words unintentionally that made the young girl hang her head slightly.

"Yes, ma'am." Astrid nodded. "He joined training after he got Toothless. He never hurt one of the dragons; he used all those little secrets-like you do." She shook her head and laughed a bit. "I hated him. Everyone else loved him, but I hated him."

"What changed the hate to love?" Valka asked curiously.

"I guess the first dragon ride. I followed him to where he was keeping Toothless in the woods and ended up riding with him. I mean it was terrifying, crazy, and traumatic...but in a romantic way. We kinda started dating after that. I helped him a lot when he first lost his leg, too. He had a hard time getting used to it."

Valka nodded, scratching Cloudjumper's cheek and getting an odd sort of purr. "I'd suspect so." She couldn't imagine not having her two feet. The thought nearly sent a chill up her spine. "But he seems to manage well."

"Mhm. He told me sometimes he forgets it's fake now."

Valka sipped her grog. Cloudjumper looked at the mug curiously. She smirked. "You wish to try some?"

He sniffed at the mug and looked at her expectantly.

"Hold out your tongue." She directed. He did so, making it slightly cupped. She poured grog in, and he swallowed it. Cloudjumper's face seemed to almost pucker, one eye dilating, and then shivered to the tip of his tail. and spat into the fire, making a sizzling noise. Valka laughed.

"Oh you big bahby, it's only grog." She teased. He gave her a bit of an indignant look and flopped his head on the ground, facing away from her.

"No need to be so upset. How many times have you made me try something new and I didn't like it? And then you made fun of me. Why, you laughed at me for a full ten minutes when I spat out that nasty red root you were so excited about." Cloudjumper snorted. "And lets not forget those purple berries. I couldn't un-pucker my lips for the life of me, you little troll."

Cloudjumper turned his head to Valka, a dragon smile on his face. She patted her lap, and he rested his head there so that his elaborate headdress didn't bother her, allowing her to pet his muzzle. Valka looked up to see Astrid staring in fascination.

"What? Don't you talk to your dragon?"

"Well, yeah." Astrid nodded. "But mine can't smirk."

Valka laughed, patting the long curves of Cloudjumper's face. "Cloudjumper's a rather expressive little rascal when he wants to be. Your Nadder is just as expressive, really, but her muzzle doesn't allow her to show it. To stout."

Astrid nodded a bit, watching the elder woman and dragon. Valka finished her grog and set the cup on a nearby chair, cuddling up to her dragon, resting her head on the curved headdress that went out from his face and continuing to pet his muzzle. "So you met Hiccup during dragon training, fell in love after taking a ride with him, and then helped him with his leg?"

"And his map." She nodded. "When he was first starting with it, I would ride with him on Stormfly."

"What stopped that?" She questioned.

"Well, someone had to be the responsible one in the relationship." She said, a bit jokingly. "I mean, he helped Stoick plenty, but he wasn't _always_ around to help because of the map or an invention or something, so I'd fill in."

Valka nodded. "Ah, I see...we're you and Stoick...close?"

"Define "close"?"

"As in, did you ever...call him Dad or anything?"

"Oh, heh, no. I mean, we were pretty close-he started calling me his daughter-in-law before Hiccup even proposed, but, um...yeah, we were close. Never called him Dad, but we were close. Good friends."

Valka nodded, her heart aching slightly. She rubbed her chest a bit. Cloudjumper noticed this and bumped her chest with his flattened nose. She smiled her thanks and scratched just under his chin, making him chirp and purr. "I see. Well...I'm glad you and Stoick got along."

Astrid nodded. "Yeah. Can I ask you something?"

Valka nodded. "Oh yes, lass."

"Was this a sort of "are-you-good-enough-for-my-son" interrogation? Or are you just curious?"

"Both." Valka smiled overly-sweetly. Astrid laughed, both quietly and nervously.

"Well, have I passed?"

"Considering Stoick seems to have approved," Valka stroked Cloudjumper's headdress, "you have for the moment." A smile teased at the corner of her lips as Astrid looked at her like she hoped she was joking.

"How're you two ladies doin'?" Came Hiccup's voice from the doorway. The women looked over at the snow dusted young man with an equally snow dusted young dragon beside him in the doorway. He stepped in, Toothless following him, and removed his mask he wore while flying. Toothless went to Cloudjumper and chirped. Cloudjumper chirped back, and soon found himself having to share his heat with the cold reptile. Valka shivered and scooted away as Toothless got in the middle of Cloudjumper's curled form.

"Chilly little dragon, aren't you?" She smiled a bit. Toothless licked her face. She shook her head and wiped the slobber off best she could and smiled at Hiccup, who came over to hug her after greeting Astrid. He leaned down over Cloudjumper's face and hugged her.

"Hi, Mom." He smiled. She smiled back and ruffled his hair.

"You're chilly as an Alpha's breath, Hiccup. Sit down by the fire before you catch a cold." She said in a light command. He unquestioningly did so. Toothless jumped from his spot next to Valka in the warm embrace of Cloudjumper and snuggled next to Hiccup in front of the fire. Cloudjumper happily curled around Valka again.

"How did it go?" Astrid asked her fiancee, sitting beside him.

"Smashed into a couple snow embankments and nearly went headfirst into the frozen ocean," Hiccup admitted, "but other than that, fine."

Valka furrowed her brow in concern, an expression which Hiccup caught.

"I'm only joking." He reassured her.

"You know, Hiccup. Your father was a horrible liar, too." She said. He blushed a bit and scratched his light beard, avoiding her eyes. She had to smile at that. Just like his father.

"Heh, yeah, never could keep a Snoggletog present from me-anyway..." He muttered, rubbing his hands in front of the fire. "What were you all talking about?"

"Your mom was interrogating me." Astrid said lightly.

"Mooooom." Hiccup groaned, flopping back against Toothless.

"Well excuse me for wanting to know what kind of woman my son will be marrying." Valka said lightheartedly.

Hiccup rolled his eyes a bit and put his arm around Astrid when she laid next to him. "Anyway..."

No one spoke. They didn't have any particularly spectacular things to say, neither did they have anything for idle chitchat. Hiccup gave no details on his adventures, seeming tired and cold. They resigned to laying in their spots with their dragons and listening to the crackling of the fire and the occasional chirping of a dragon that chose to remain outside. Hiccup eventually announced that he was retiring to his bed in the loft and kissed Astrid goodnight on the lips, and his mother on the cheek. Soon after Astrid herself retired. Valka remained, staring at the fire with Cloudjumper and Toothless both up against her, their melodic breathing easing her heart to a slow, rhythmic thumping. Her eyes gradually closed and her breath synchronized with the slow and mighty beasts.


	2. Carried on a Daydream

**I want to thank you all for being understanding of my mistakes and correcting me formally or kindly (special thanks to oceanzap, who pointed out more than just the mistake between Christmas and Snoggletog).**

**I also want to say I greatly appreciate all the favorites and reviews this story is getting! It gives me a great lift-me-up when I need it. I also want to say I ESPECIALLY appreciate the reviews. I really love to hear personally from readers in either a review or a PM message. Feel like I connect with y'all more. =p**

**Anyhow, here comes the next chapter. This one is something I think all y'all ValkaxStoick fans will love. :3**

**If you have any questions about the story or are confused about something, leave it in the reviews or PM message me and I will answer it in the next Authors Note. **

**HTTYD-Dreamworks (and the book series author)**

**This fanfiction-Minemineminemineminemine. You may not use or distribute this fanfiction or any of its attributes that are not copyrighted by Dreamworks in any way, shape, or form.**

**Here we gooooo!**

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Valka woke the next morning to the smell of cooking fish. She yawned and stretched, realizing she was laying on the floor with a fur over her. She looked to the right, towards the cooking area, and could see Cloudjumper and Toothless watching Astrid and Hiccup make breakfast like a couple of puppies. She smiled a bit, cracking her joints and crawling out from under the fur. At her rustling, Cloudjumper and Toothless turned their heads to her and chirped. Toothless bounded over and gave her a morning lick and nuzzle before returning to his post near the breakfast table. Cloudjumper simply scooped her up with his fanned tail and brought her beside him at the kitchen. Valka gave him and Toothless a sleepy chin scratch and then nearly crashed into the table as she went to sit down.

"You alright?" Astrid looked rather startled, holding the bones of a fish. Valka waved her concern away.

"It must be a Wednesday." Valka said.

Astrid looked to Hiccup, who was looking at the calender.

"Yep, Wednesday." He confirmed, turning to Astrid. "Mom can never get up very well on Wednesday."

"Why?" She asked, looking to Valka.

"Never have been able to." Valka scratched her cheek and yawned. The truth was that the day Cloudjumper carried her away to the sanctuary of dragons was a Wednesday. For some reason, ever since, she'd always woken up particularly clumsily on Wednesdays. She supposed it some sort of weird subconscious thing, but never put more thought into it than that.

"Oh. Huh." Astrid went back to gutting her fish, tossing the entrails between Toothless and Cloudjumper. "Monday's are kinda the same for me."

"Only instead of being sleepy and clumsy you're grumpy and terrifying." Hiccup said, chuckling. Astrid made a bit of a "hmp" noise and whacked him. Hiccup in turn seemed to forget his mother was present and whacked Astrid's behind with a frying pan. Valka snorted and laid her head on the kitchen table as the two began to playfully bicker in what was mostly little mumbling only they could hear. There was then giggling, and a quiet smack of lips connecting. She detected a sort of groan from both dragons like, "really? Can you please just continue with the food?"

Valka lifted her head and stood up. She went to a barrel that contained grog, dipped a mug in, and took a swig. She blinked as the light burn of the watered down rum sparked her senses. She dumped the rest of the grog back in the barrel and then placed her mug on the table. While Hiccup and Astrid kept cooking, she fetched fish, which she gave to Cloudjumper and Toothless. She didn't give them too much; though. Just enough to get them started before opening the wide doors of the Chief's Dwelling.

"Go on and hunt, boys." She said. A burst of wind as the two dragons rushed past her tossed her braids and ruffled her clothes.

"Aw, Mom, they knocked over the chairs again." Hiccup mumbled, coming over and fixing the mess as Astrid set the table.

"They were excited." She said, helping him.

"Why don't you just keep them outside or in the stables?" Astrid asked.

"Toothless doesn't like the stables." Hiccup said.

"Cloudjumper prefers to be with me." Valka said.

"Oh. Stormfly likes the stables." Astrid shrugged, setting the last plate down and then the food, which was fried fish and potatoes with scrambled eggs.

"Some dragons would, some wouldn't." Valka shrugged before she and Hiccup joined Astrid at breakfast. They all ate heartily. Valka thanked the young couple for cooking as she always did, and washed the dishes. They cooked, she washed dishes. Astrid and Hiccup split most the cleaning, Valka did laundry. Hiccup and Astrid slept in different beds until they actually married, Valka didn't whack them with a club and/or have Cloudjumper act as a barrier between the two.

Valka exited the home she shared with her son and his fiancee with her staff in hand and started down through the village. She warmly greeted anyone who spoke to her, happily speaking with the dragons who came up to her for a pet or otherwise as well. She practically held a conversation with the left head of a Hideous Zippleback who couldn't get along with it's right head, who was looking away the entire time he and Valka seemed to chatter. In the end Valka got the dragons to reconcile and the animal happily went on to tease a young Gronkle.

Valka chuckled at watched as one head bonked the Gronkle's right side and looked away when the Gronkle turned, and then the other head bonking the left side and pretending to look away as the Gronkle turned. This continued for a good several minutes before the Gronkle figured out what was going on and headbutted the Zippleback. A play fight ensued that Valka laughed at before continuing down the street.

She walked through the buildings and shops, saying hello to Gobber and giving the occasional scratch or rub to a dragon as she gracefully scaled edges of fences and vaulted over carts and rocks or other objects of her environment with the use of her staff. She eventually made it down the hill of Berk to the docks. A thin line of sand against the steep, black rocks acted as a beach. Valka started down this little strip, her boots and staff leaving deep impressions in the soaked sand as the gentle waves gurgled up and swept at her feet. The smell of salt in the air and the light splashing of the water against the mighty stone of Berk began to draw out memories, taking Valka back in time...

_A young Valka was standing on the low bearing docks of Berk. Her bright red hair was tied back in a single, long braid woven with thick golden thread. Her seafoam eyes looked out at the dark water with worry, sounds of a faraway party drifting through the air to her ears. She nervously adjusted the sleeves of her light green dress and patted lightly at the wrap around her middle. He was late. It was ridiculous-really. It was all ridiculous. She should have known it would never have worked-he wasn't really interested. He just said yes because he felt sorry for her, and didn't want to tell her he wasn't interested. Wanted her to figure it out for herself because he was-was what? Scared? Cruel? A coward?_

_Oh, it doesn't matter, Valka thought. It was ridiculous to even ask-even think it._

_She turned around on her heel to leave and was met with the broad chest of a very large man. She looked up at him, and he looked down at her, his short, firey beard part of his smile._

_"Valka." He said, politely and warmly. Valka felt her heart flutter._

_"S-Stoick the Vast." She said quietly, mentally hitting herself for stammering._

_He laughed. It was hearty, yet soft, and entirely warm and lighthearted. It made a pleasant heat spread through her body, starting at her cheeks and heart and moving outward._

_"No need for titles, Valka. Besides, I'm not _that _vast." He joked. It was an awful joke, but Valka laughed nonetheless._

_"A-alright. Stoick, then." She made herself smile confidently. The large man before her warmly returned the smile. There was an awkward moment in which both young people shuffled their feet and gave nervous glances and smiles._

_"You look beautiful." Stoick finally said. Valka blushed with her hands behind her back. "Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself." She glanced up the deeply sloped pathway to the docks, towards the large home that's windows glowed with light of a party. "I'll be honest I was...was afraid ya wouldn't come."_

_Stoick smiled a bit and reached behind her, taking her small hands in his. "No where I rather be than here, right now."_

_Her cheeks grew warmer and she shyly looked down. Stoick lightly lifted her chin so they looked each other in the eye and nodded towards a thin beach, lit only by the stark moonlight and just big enough to accommodate two people._

_"Care to walk?" He asked quietly. Valka nodded, her heart fluttering again as Stoick led her down to the beach, moving his arm around her small frame so he held his hand on hers on her hip, having her pressed lightly against his side. Valka realized it was the only way he could fit on the beach with her without one or the other going ahead. She was extremely glad it was the only way._

_A cool breeze swept at the couple as they walked, boots squishing into the sand. Valka's left hand entwined fingers with Stoick's. Her right fiddled nervously with the fur of his jacket, an action which she hoped he didn't notice._

_"Moon's nice tonight." He said. She nodded, realizing she was resting her head against his chest. She lifted it slightly, but put it back down once she saw Stoick's soft smile._

_"You're warm." She said offhandedly._

_"Are you cold?" He looked down at her as they turned the corner, water sloshing at their boots. She shook her head._

_"No, but you're warm. Warmer than me." She looked up at the moon and stars and then back ahead of them, at the dark sky and darker water, the twinkling stars reflecting on the waves. "I mean really warm. Happy warm, I think. Your smile is warm, too. And-" She stopped herself before she could continue. His smile, his eyes, his touch. They all brought a certain warmness that wasn't just heat; it was happy and bright and fun. It was great and bold and soft; light and strong. It seemed a bit of everything good all at once. But she couldn't and wouldn't say that. It was a first date. That was weird._

_"You know you're cute when your face gets red like that." She saw the corner of his mouth quirk up in a smirk. "Thought only brandy would be able to do that to such a strong little lady."_

_Her cheeks got warmer. "O-Oh please."_

_He laughed. Hearty and loud, this time, but just as soft in some way. "Tell me somethin', Valka."_

_"Yes?" She looked up at him. In a few paces, they stopped. They were now in a circular dip in the rock, the beach much more accommodating to the broad shouldered ginger and the slight auburn haired woman. Stoick held her hands in his and cocked his head at her slightly. "Can you dance as well without the brandy?"_

_Valka already felt her feet turn something to jelly, remembering the dance at a previous party that had led them to this night. The one that occurred after too many mugs of brandy and an accidental, drunken bump in where her confidence was as prevalent as her inability to walk a straight line, yet her feet had had the credence to perform the dance with the dashing young viking chief._

_"I'm not sure if I can." She admitted with a slight stumble in her speech._

_Stoick laughed and took her hands in his, starting the steps to the dance and bellowing,_

_"I'll swim and sail on savage seas,_

_With ne'er a fear of drowning,_

_and gladly rides the waves of life,_

_if you will marry me-e!"_

_Valka's steps molded with Stoick as he slowly and surely began the dance, the music of the fiddles, clapping and the lutes coming to her from the party._

_"No scorching sun,_

_Nor freezing cold,_

_Will stop me on my journey!_

_If you will promise me your heart..."_

_"And love me for eternity!" She picked up happily._

_"My dearest one, my darling dear,_

_Your mighty words astound me!_

_But I have no need for mighty deeds,_

_when I feel your arms around me-e!"_

_This continued, their singing and dancing, the joining of hands as they twirled on the dark sand that shimmered in the moonlight. Their voices joined as one, rising in merriment as they twirled and clapped, the dancing speeding up with their words, which brought unfathomable happiness to the couple. Valka's heart beat rapidly, her eyes lit like stars and her lungs having no craving for air; all she needed to survive was holding her hands and swaying with her. It was crazy, but it was true. She could feel it. This was love-this wonderful, unreal warmth that she'd never known._

_"I'll swim and sail on savage seas,_

_with near of a fear of drowning,_

_and gladly ride the waves of life,_

_if you will marr-y me-e!"_

_As the last verse fell from their lips they collapsed onto the sand, laughing, bubbly with happiness. Valka found herself laughing with mad happiness , laying on Stoick's chest. His chest rose and fell with his own billowing laughter and each looked at each other. In that moment, with locked eyes and synchronized laughter, they kissed. And with the kiss, they sealed their future._


	3. A Messenger Arrives

Valka shook herself from her reverie and looked around. Unknowingly she'd come to the same circular dip in the rocks. Her feet had guided her all the way down the thin beach and to the spot. She felt ill.

Her stomach churning with sickness stemming from the heart, Valka stumbled away from the circle and to the thin beach, where the sickness seemed to ease. It was stupid but true how much she truly missed Stoick. She hadn't seen him for twenty years and had slept well each night and woken bright each morning-but for Wednesday. She'd thought of him and missed him, in a different way than she missed her Hiccup, but she'd never broken down because of it. She figured it was because of the dragons, where she'd been. Nothing had been there to be a daily reminder of the man she called her other half in life and death. Now, here, on the small island that had been their home, everything was. Most of it she could bear-the house, the streets and homes of those who had been their friends. It all brought back pleasant memories, but they always hurt now, since they would never happen again.

Valka inhaled deeply and pressed back these swirling emotions she was unaccustomed to and whistled sharply. She waited and then whistled again. The second time Cloudjumper came whooshing down by her. She easily grabbed one of his feet and climbed up to his back as he went by, standing there with her staff.

"Hope I didn't interrupt ye huntin'." She said, looking down. Cloudjumper turned his head around to look at her while flying straight and made a little squawk that Valka knew was something along the lines of "no problem". He turned his head back around as Valka looked around the clouds and inhaled deeply. She let the cool air fill her heart and mind, loosening her tight heartstrings and relaxing her tense shoulders. She slid down on Cloudjumper so she was sitting cross legged and laid down on his scaly back, holding her staff on her chest.

"Can you do me a favor, Cloudjumper, and keep flying." She said quietly. Cloudjumper heard her over the rush of the wind going past them and chirped an agreement in response, flapping his mighty wings and turning South.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Long after the usual dinner hour Valka returned to the home she shared with Hiccup and Astrid. They both were sitting, leaning against Toothless at the fire. Hiccup had his arm around Astrid, and she was using his chest as a pillow. Toothless snored quietly. When the large pine doors creaked open upon her entrance, the young couple turned to the door, and Toothless woke up.

"Mom," Hiccup said, looking a bit relieved. "Where were you?"

"Jus' out flying." She said casually, though with obvious guilt. She hadn't meant to keep on past dark, but between miscellaneous naps on the back of Cloudjumper and extended stops, getting lost, and an honest desire to not return, it kind of just happened.

"You missed dinner." Astrid said.

"I know." Valka said back, setting her staff by the door and removing her boots. Cloudjumper curled his large being around the opposite side of the fire and laid his head on the ground, staring at the flame. Hiccup got up and petted the elder dragon's head, who chirped and cooed lightly in response. Valka smiled and drank a bit of grog before coming over and sitting beside Cloudjumper.

"You drink too much grog, Mom." Hiccup said in a lightly joking tone as he sat back down by Astrid.

"Well, I would drink too much brandy, but you don't keep it around." She teased. Cloudjumper snorted and wrapped his tail around her. She patted it and leaned back on his side.

"Oh jeez, Mom." Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"You'll fall off Cloudjumper one of these days." Astrid warned.

"No, I won't. I don't spend my time runnin' around drunk. Cup in the mornin', cup at noon, cup in the evenin'." Valka said, looking to Hiccup. "Your father did the same."

"That's right." Hiccup nodded, blinking. "Though he always drank brandy."

"We both preferred it." Valka nodded.

"I never liked it." Hiccup admitted, shrugging. "Rum's better."

"Bah." Valka waved her hand at it. "Never liked the stuff."

"Mom, you're weird." Hiccup said.

"You're weird." She stuck out her tongue childishly. Hiccup returned the favor, and then they both burst out laughing. Astrid shook her head a bit, chuckling, and stood.

"Well, I'm going to go to bed, you two."

"Goodnight." They said in unison. Astrid kissed Hiccup and lightly waved to Valka before leaving. Mother and son conversed lightly for a little while longer before they, too, retired.

The next morning there was a knock at the door during breakfast. Toothless pulled open the door with his mouth and cocked his head at the stranger at the door. He was tall and skinny, his skin stretched around his elbows and knuckles like animal hide across a drum. He wore a soft fur hat on his head, as well as a fur vest, and a long green robe with thick boots. Hiccup came to the door behind Toothless and raised an eyebrow.

"Hello, Mister, uh-"

"Hiccup Haddock." Hiccup informed. "You?"

"Um, I'm a messenger of the Anthias tribe." He said, eyeing Toothless warily. The young dragon sniffed at him and then looked at Hiccup, who stepped forward for the sake of the messenger.

"Oooookay?" Hiccup had no idea who or what an Anthias was.

"I'm looking for, um...Valka Anthias?"

Hiccup blinked and then turned around. "Uh, Mom?"

Valka looked over, a piece of egg stuck at the corner of her lip.

"Um, your maiden name wouldn't happen to be Anthias, would it?"

She blinked and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "Um, 'tis."

"Um, then there's some guy for you." Hiccup said awkwardly, realizing just how much he yet to know about his mother. Her eyes widened and she stood, brushing off the front of her dress and coming forward. The messenger handed her a rolled up piece of parchment, looking rather amazed.

"You really are alive." He said quietly.

Valka didn't comment and rolled out the document in her hand. Hiccup looked between him and his mother, and then to Toothless. Toothless looked to him and then began licking his armpit.

Valka handed the document stiffly back to the messenger. "You can inform Chief Anthias that I will not be obliging to this request for my presence."

The messenger blinked and looked down awkwardly, scratching at his ear. "Um, I would, Madam Anthias, but I-uh-"

"You can and will, because I'm not coming." She snapped before attempting to shut the door. The messenger stopped it with his boot and pushed it open so he could see her.

"I can't tell Chief Anthias, ma'am, because he's dead."

Valka stopped breathing and took a step back. The messenger opened the door more as Hiccup and Toothless stared at the scene, entirely confused.

"He...He can't be...he-"

"He was sixty-three, Madam Anthias. A grand age." Said the messenger nervously. "It was the Anthias Council who summoned you." He unrolled the parchment and pointed to the wax seal at the bottom that Valka had failed to inspect. It was a semi-circle with four dots on the outside, and a star in the middle. Valka knew all too well the dots symbolized the four council members and the star represented the Chief.

"W-Well, I'm still not coming." She said again, attempting to close the door. The messenger again stopped her.

"Please, Madam Anthias." He begged, looking at her down his bony nose. "It was your father's last wish before his passing that you take over in his pl-"

"Has Madam Chief Anthias passed on?" Valka asked in a chalky tone, gripping the edge of the door so hard her knuckles were white. Her voice wavered as she attempted to keep it on an even tone. Astrid, Hiccup, and both dragons watched at the uncharacteristic anger of a usually kind and gentle woman.

"N-No, Madam Anthias." The messenger cleared his throat.

"Then she will take to my father's work." Valka replied, her back rigid and her jaw set. Her hand hurt from holding the door so hard, but she felt if she pried her fingers off, her fist might fly into the face of the messenger.

"She has passed it on to you, M-Madam Anthias." The messenger looked both afraid and impatient at this point.

"Well, I don't want it!" Valka shouted, stamping her foot and balling her fist that was not still clenching to the door. Behind her Hiccup and Astrid were looking at each other, neither knowing what was going on exactly. The dragons looked at each other in an equally confused manner. "Give it to one of my brothers! Daivi is right after me, he'll take it!"

"You have to be there to sign it off!" The messenger said, raising his voice, though it still shook with his nerves. Valka's nostrils flared and she let out a rather animal like cry of frustration and punched the wall beside the door.

"FINE! Fine, fine, fine, fine, FINE." Valka rubbed her face and swiped her staff from beside the door, twirling it around her back and jabbing the man away with the tip. "To your ship you walk. I will be in Anthias before your ship is halfway there."

"U-Uh, alright, Madam Anth-"

"And _stop _calling me that!" Valka snarled, making not only the messenger but also Hiccup jump. The messenger gave a frazzled bow and ran off, quickly at his skinny legs would carry him.

Valka closed the door and leaned her forehead on the cool wood. She breathed deeply, trying to slow her heart rate. She slowly dug her nails into the wood as she did so, letting it be a relief. She was not used to being angry-aggravated, yes. But not angry-the violent, raging sort. But she'd felt it with the arrival of the messenger and his message, no matter how much she tried to rid herself of it. She gradually turned around and faced her son, his fiancee, and the two dragons. She felt a warm blush creeping up her neck and the prickle of nerves in her shoulders.

Hiccup cleared his throat and opened his mouth, then closed it. One eye brow was quirked up while his mouth curved in thoughtful confusion. He was putting together the pieces of the puzzle set before him.

"Ok, what just happened?!" Astrid took the shortcut.

"Um." Valka looked around, gripping her staff that she again held in hand before sighing and leaning on it for support. "Messenger of the Anthias tribe..." She bit her lip. "My birth tribe."

"Alright," Hiccup found his voice, stepping forward slightly. "Can-can I make a guess on what just happened?"

"Go ahead, dear." Valka said, leaning more on her staff.

"Your dad, the chief, died, and you're...oldest, so you have to take his place. But you...don't want to, but you still gotta go so you can make your brother do it?"

"Something like that." Valka sighed, trudging over to a chair and seating herself. Cloudjumper came over and chirped, sensing her displeasure. Valka smiled reassuringly at him and sighed again. "There was a...conflict, between my family and your father. Seems even twenty years won't kill it." Valka muttered the last part to herself. Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck.

"What sort of conflict?"

Valka stared at the ground. "Our marriage."


	4. Reunited

"I'll be back soon as possible." Valka said while stepping outside, Cloudjumper following after.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa!" Hiccup ran out after her, grabbing Cloudjumper's tail fins. The dragon stopped with an irritated look on his face and glared back at the young dragon rider. Valka stopped as well and turned, coming over and making Hiccup release Cloudjumper's tail.

"Son, don't do that. He doesn't like it." Valka chided, patting Cloudjumper's wing.

"Mom, you pretty much explained absolutely nothing to me." Hiccup practically shouted, taking a step back. He looked his mother up and down. Longer face, tanner skin. Thinner build and lighter, fairer hair than most the residents of Berk. He'd never given it thought, but she really didn't look all that much like she was from Berk. She was from...Anthias. Wherever that was. "What is Anthias, what happened with you and dad and them, and why haven't you said anything!"

Valka stopped and stared at him. It made Hiccup shift uncomfortably in his boots. She had a way of doing that, staring. Completely motionless, not a twitch in the joint or hesitation of her eye. She breathed so quietly you could scarcely tell she _was_ breathing.

"Hiccup..." She took a hesitant step forward, and Hiccup allowed her to put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I haven't told ye anything, and I can't tell ye much now, I've got to get this handled. What I can tell ye is that Anthias was the tribe I grew up with. They don't care for those of Berk is why they opposed our marriage, and I 'aven't said anything because I wanted to keep it all behind me like I have for the last twenty seven years." She paused and then kissed his cheek and ran up Cloudjumpers tail and onto his back, running her staff along behind her as a signal to take off, which he did soon as she was securely sitting on his back. Hiccup panicked in a way and ran after, but of course was no match for the speed of a dragon taking off into the air. He kept running, though, and only stopped when he was gasping for air and Cloudjumper was little more than a speck on the horizon.

Astrid came running up behind him, Toothless leaping beside her. She grabbed onto his shoulders and twirled him around to look at her.

"What is she doing?!" She yelled, shaking him slightly and dropping her arms.

"I don't know!" Hiccup yelled back. "She doesn't usually act on impulse!"

"What are we going to do?!" Astrid said, still yelling. They were attracting the attention of other Berk residents, who said nothing and just watched.

"I don't know! I mean-" Hiccup looked back towards the sky and saw nothing. "I have no idea where Anthias is! Or what it does or how it-how did she even get to meet dad if Berk and Anthias hate each other?!"

"How did your dad ever not tell you?! Something like, "hey, son, there's this one tribe your mother was from and we hate each other. Just thought you'd like to know"!"

"I don't know! He never really talked about mom-until I found her all I knew about her was she was "prettier than the stars" and "had a knack for never letting him win an argument" and something else about "thank Gods you don't have your mother's cooking skills". That's all I knew, and apparently there's still A LOT I don't know!"

Hiccup found himself breathing heavily-gasping, even, and just kind of plopped down on the ground. Toothless came over and chirped quietly, his scaly features in a frown. Hiccup didn't look at him but patted his muzzle, staring at the ground. Astrid remained standing, a look of both frustration and confusion on her face. Bracing himself on Toothless, Hiccup got to his feet and again looked at the sky.

"Damn it, Mom." He cursed quietly.

"Go after her?" Astrid suggested, nudging him toward Toothless. Toothless looked up at Hiccup hopefully.

"I can't, Astrid." Hiccup scratched at his cheek. "I'm the chief. I gotta watch over Berk and-"

"Oh, get on the freakin' dragon, honey." Astrid shoved Hiccup towards Toothless, who looked absolutely giddy. Hiccup blinked and looked at her.

"What?"

"You heard me, get on the dragon. Go find your mom, Toothless can probably sniff out Cloudjumper," Toothless made a noise akin to a bark to confirm this, "and figure out what's going on. I'll watch the village, and then when you get back you can tell me what happened."

"I-I but-"

Hiccup didn't really get a chance to refuse, or negotiate, as Astrid kissed him deeply and then shoved him on the back of Toothless. Hiccup dazedly straightened himself out on the excited reptile and gave Astrid a grin.

"I-alright. I'll see you-"

"Soon." Astrid finished, kissing him again, but softer. Toothless whimpered impatiently. "I'll explain everything to the village."

"You're a lifesaver." He smiled. They kissed once more before Hiccup took off into the air, trailing the path of his mother through the clouds.

* * *

Cloudjumper caught a southern wind a number of feet below the cloud line, allowing him to spread his wings and be carried along swiftly. Valka stiffly sat on his back, gripping her staff that laid across her lap. She didn't want to do this. She'd given up Anthias a long time ago, fully intending to live in Berk for the rest of her life and never seeing those she called friends and family again. Now that concept was terminated because her damned father had to make her life miserable. He just had to take one more jab at her, make her regret her nearly three decade old decision. Hate herself for leaving her tribe. Hate herself for leaving them.

When Anthias came into view, she took a sharp breath.

It was just as she'd remembered it. A large village, one of three, at the banks of an island. The houses used wood for their roofs and stone bricks for their walls. Organized cobblestone streets, an idea adopted from somewhere else in Europe, arranged the city and its houses. Ships docked at its harbor and trees encased all sides of the town but the one facing the water. Two buildings in the center, larger than any others and decorated with gold accents, stood proudly. The other two villages on the woodsy mainland mirrored the one on the island, though far less sophisticated. Valka carefully guided Cloudjumper down to the two large buildings and landed in between them.

She remained on Cloudjumper's back while she studied the area around her and quietly breathed out. It'd changed since she'd left. There was more greenery, imported flowers were around both buildings, and ivy tastefully climbed up the walls. The stone walkways around the buildings had been sanded flat. The lemon trees she remembered from her childhood had been taken down and replaced with oranges.

Her entrance hadn't gone unnoticed by the townsfolk. Those that milled about outside the gates that surrounded the two large buildings were pointing and talking excitedly to each other.

"Is that Madam Anthias's daughter?!"

"She died twenty years ago!"

"She rode in on a dragon!"

"What is she doing here?!"

"The new Madam Anthias is here!"

Valka slowly turned to them and stared. She didn't say a word, but she stared. She wished they'd kept the hedges around the fence. She hated seeing their faces, giddy or fearful, and slid off Cloudjumper.

Out of the building on the right came an elderly woman. Her back hunched over with age and face leathery, strung tight around her high cheekbones and riddled with liverspots. Her once ginger hair was almost completely white, a faint tint of its former glory all that remained. She wore a dress with a wrap around the middle and long sleeves, and her feet wore flat shoes with intricate golden designs on them that matched her dark oak cane. Upon spotting Valka, she froze in place, halfway down the front stairs. Her green eyes aligned with Valka's, and her bony chest ceased to move.

"Valka?" She croaked, voice as leathery as her skin and painfully familiar.

Valka tried to swallow, but her throat caught and she coughed painfully. She gripped her staff, letting it support her. Cloudjumper cautiously curled his tail around her feet.

"M-Mother..." Valka breathed faintly and unstably. Last time she'd seen her mother, her hair had been bright and her posture was best in Anthias. She'd been a proud and strong woman, and now...she was old, frail and delicate looking. Years had worn down on her, and it showed. Her once nimble feet stepped heavily, and her head did not sit steadily on her shoulders as it once did. The only thing that seemed to remain of the former person her mother was was some sort of strength in the arm that held her cane, which remained steady and unwavering.

The old skeleton made her way to Valka and looked up at her. Slowly, she raised from her hunched position and looked Valka in the eye.

"Valka," she said in a breathy whisper, her dull eyes brightening. It was an old spark Valka remembered from her childhood, and it made her heart ache and her stomach churn. It took most all her strength not to throw up.

"M-Mothar...Mothar..." Valka's words wavered and rolled on her tongue as it got a cottony feel to it. Without warning, Valka's mother wrapped her bony arms around her daughter's middle and pulled her into a surprisingly strong hug. Valka could hear her heart pound in her ears, and her lungs refused to breath regularly, making her gasp for breath. She gradually wrapped her own arms around her mother's thin frame and dipped her head down to rest her face on her shoulder.

"Mothar..." She mumbled into her shoulder, closing her eyes and inhaling the scent of flowers and earth and fresh parchment. The scent that had followed her mother long as Valka could remember.

Her mother's aged fingers slowly went to Valka's head, and then down her braids, petting her.

"Valka...you're finally home."

* * *

**I apologize for the ending, more or less. I tried to leave it open and emotional at the same time I just didn't know what to do, but I hope you enjoy it.**

**Sorry for taking so long to update, was busy with life.**

**HTTYD-Dreamworks**

**Anything that isn't copyrighted including quirks actions and otherwise-Me, and don't you dare steal it. Seriously.**

**Please be kind enough to leave a review! Hope you like enough to favorite/follow. :3 If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to put it in a comic or PM me. If I use your suggestion, I will credit you in the Authors Note!**

**And, as always, if I got something wrong about the HTTYD world due to my lack of knowledge about it, please NICELY correct me in the comments or through a PM message. :3 Thank you. :3**


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